Duration of immunotherapy in dMMR/MSI-H metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized treatment of mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, there is no evidence on the optimal treatment duration. We aimed to compare outcomes of different immunotherapy durations.

Built On-orbit Robotically assembled Gigatruss (BORG): A mixed assembly architecture trade study.

This paper explores a mixed assembly architecture trade study for a Built On-orbit Robotically assembled Gigatruss (BORG). Robotic in-space assembly (ISA) and servicing is a crucial field to expand endeavors in space. Currently, large structures in space are commonly only deployable and must be efficiently folded and packed into a launch vehicle (LV) and then deployed perfectly for operational status to be achieved.

PARPis and Other Novel, Targeted Therapeutics in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis, with a mere ∼10% of patients in the United States surviving 5 years from the time of diagnosis. Until recently, the treatment for advanced PDAC differed little based on patient or tumor characteristics. However, recent breakthroughs have identified subgroups of patients who benefit from novel, biomarker-driven therapies.

Multianalyte Prognostic Signature Including Circulating Tumor DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Multianalyte signatures, including liquid biopsy and traditional clinical variables, have shown promise for improving prognostication in other solid tumors but have not yet been rigorously assessed for PDAC.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) or metastatic PDAC (mPDAC) who were planned to undergo systemic therapy.

Comparison of nivolumab and sorafenib for first systemic therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and Child-Pugh B cirrhosis.

Background: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are excluded or underrepresented in clinical trials of systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and comparisons of available therapies are lacking. We aimed to compare overall survival for patients with HCC and Child-Pugh B cirrhosis treated with nivolumab or sorafenib as first systemic treatment.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in patients with HCC and Child-Pugh B cirrhosis treated at Veterans Affairs medical centers to compare overall survival, adverse events, and reason for discontinuation of therapy between patients treated with nivolumab or sorafenib as first systemic treatment.

Evolving standards of care for neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy in esophageal, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric cncer.

Multimodality therapy, which can include systemic therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, is the preferred approach for most localized, clinical T2 to T4, and/or node-positive esophageal, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric cancers. The optimal content and sequence of perioperative treatment of patients with different sites of disease and tumor histologic types continue to evolve. This review highlights the current standard-of-care approaches and areas of ongoing clinical research, including biomarker-directed therapy, pertaining to the treatment of esophageal, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric cancers in patients who are candidates for therapy with curative intent.

Identification of MicroRNAs as Breast Cancer Prognosis Markers through the Cancer Genome Atlas.

Breast cancer is the second-most common cancer and second-leading cause of cancer mortality in American women. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a key role in almost all cancers, including breast cancer. We comprehensively analyzed miRNA expression, global gene expression, and patient survival from the Cancer Genomes Atlas (TCGA) to identify clinically relevant miRNAs and their potential gene targets in breast tumors.

Peripheral blood IRF1 expression as a marker for glucocorticoid sensitivity.

Objective: Despite of the common usage of glucocorticoids (GCs), a significant portion of asthma patients exhibit GC insensitivity. This could be mediated by diverse mechanisms, including genomics. Recent work has suggested that measuring changes in gene expression may provide more predictive information about GC insensitivity than baseline gene expression alone, and that expression changes in peripheral blood may be reflective of those in the airway.

Differentiating arytenoid dislocation and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis by arytenoid movement in laryngoscopic video.

Objective: To present a new method of quantifying arytenoid movement during inspiration and determine if it can be used to distinguish arytenoid dislocation from vocal fold paralysis.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Setting: Retrospective study conducted in a university laboratory based on university hospital data.

Assessment of vision-related quality of life in dry eye patients.

Purpose: To determine vision-related quality of life (QoL) measured with the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) in dry eye patients, and establish potential correlations with the Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scales (SAS), the Zung Self Rating Depression Scales (SDS), ocular surface parameters, and sociodemographic measures.

Methods: The comparative study included 87 dry eye patients and 71 healthy volunteers who visited the department of ophthalmology, Eye and Ear Nose and Throat (EENT) Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China, between June 2009 and December 2009. Surveys were administered to participants to evaluate their sociodemographic characteristics and disease-related factors.

Optimal arytenoid adduction based on quantitative real-time voice analysis.

Hypothesis: The optimal degree of arytenoid rotation for arytenoid adduction (AA) can be determined using quantitative real-time voice analysis.

Study Design: Repeated measures with each larynx serving as its own control.

Methods: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (VFP) was modeled in five excised canine larynges.

Anxiety and depression in patients with dry eye syndrome.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether patients with dry eye syndrome [DES] have more symptoms of anxiety and depression than controls without DES.

Methods: In this case-control study, the sample consisted of 89 DES subjects (13 diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome [SS]) and 73 control subjects. Each subject was diagnosed as having DES or was chosen as a control subject by an ophthalmologist.

Clinical curative effect of acupuncture therapy on xerophthalmia.

This study observes changes in symptoms of xerophthalmia pre- and post-acupuncture therapy and compares the results of the acupuncture therapy (AT) group and the artificial tear control (ATC) group. Parallel comparative studies were carried out on 44 patients with xerophthalmia, who were divided into the AT group (n = 20) and the ATC group (n = 24). A 10-session acupuncture therapy program was performed for the AT group while Dextran 70 was used for the ATC group with each course of treatment lasting 21 day.

Multiparameter comparison of injection laryngoplasty, medialization laryngoplasty, and arytenoid adduction in an excised larynx model.

Objectives/hypothesis: Evaluate the effect of injection laryngoplasty (IL), medialization laryngoplasty (ML), and ML combined with arytenoid adduction (ML-AA) on acoustic, aerodynamic, and mucosal wave measurements in an excised larynx setup.

Study Design: Comparative case study using ex vivo canine larynges.

Methods: Measurements were recorded for eight excised canine larynges with simulated unilateral vocal fold paralysis before and after vocal fold injection with Cymetra.

Comparison of labial and mechanical interruption for measurement of aerodynamic parameters.

Objectives/hypothesis: To directly compare the mechanical and labial interruption techniques of measuring subglottal pressure (P(s)), mean flow rate (MFR), and laryngeal resistance (R(L)).

Methods: Thirty-four subjects performed 10 trials with both mechanical and labial interruption. P(s) and MFR were recorded, whereas R(L) was calculated by dividing P(s) by MFR.